Rape & Abuse Crisis Center Of Fargo-Moorhead

OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE CRISIS INTERVENTION, ADVOCACY, COUNSELING AND EDUCATION TO ALL VICTIMS AFFECTED BY SEXUAL AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND TO PROVIDE PREVENTION PROGRAMS TO CREATE A SOCIETY FREE OF PERSONAL ABUSE.

AGENCY OVERVIEW: THE MISSION OF RAPE AND ABUSE CRISIS CENTER OF FARGO-MOORHEAD (RACC) IS TO OFFER 24/7 CRISIS INTERVENTION, ADVOCACY, COUNSELING, AND EDUCATION TO ALL PERSONS AFFECTED BY SEXUAL AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND PROVIDE PREVENTION PROGRAMS TO CREATE A SOCIETY FREE OF PERSONAL ABUSE. THE AGENCY PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE, TRAUMA-INFORMED SERVICES TO SUPPORT VICTIMS OF THESE CRIMES IN CASS AND TRAILL COUNTIES IN ND AND CLAY AND WILKIN COUNTIES IN MN. SERVICES TO VICTIMS ARE CONFIDENTIAL AND AVAILABLE AT NO COST TO THEM. SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 1977, RACC HAS SERVED OVER 90,000 INDIVIDUALS. IN 2021, THE AGENCY ADDRESSED THE NEEDS OF 2,806 ADULTS (91%) AND CHILDREN (9%) WITH THE SUPPORT OF 31 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, 16 ON-CALL AND PART-TIME STAFF, AND 71 VOLUNTEERS. AMONG THOSE SERVED, 72.5% WERE NEW CLIENTS. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THE RACC TEAM ADDRESSED CASES OF DOMESTIC/DATING VIOLENCE (1,829), SEXUAL ASSAULT (626), STALKING/HARASSMENT (340), CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE (250), HUMAN TRAFFICKING/SEXUAL EXPLOITATION (81), ELDER ABUSE (43), AND OTHER TYPES OF VICTIMIZATIONS (164).ADVOCACY CLIENTS/SERVICES: IN 2021, RACC'S ADVOCACY TEAM PROVIDED 28,311 SERVICES TO VICTIMS AT RACC'S PROGRAM CENTER, LOCAL EMERGENCY ROOMS, AND VARIOUS OUTREACH SITES (E.G., JAILS, DETENTION CENTERS, HOMELESS SHELTERS). SERVICE ACTIVITIES INCLUDED EMOTIONAL SUPPORT (16.7%), LEGAL/CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADVOCACY (10.9%), CRISIS INTERVENTION (10.7%), SAFETY/SELF-SUFFICIENCY PLANNING (9.1%), AND INFORMATION ABOUT VICTIM RIGHTS (4.2%) AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS (4.3%). COMMUNITY ADVOCATES MADE 2,590 CLIENT REFERRALS FOR A VARIETY OF SERVICES INCLUDING EMERGENCY SHELTER, COUNSELING, AND LEGAL COUNSEL. AFTER RECEIVING ADVOCACY SUPPORT, CLIENTS REPORTED AN INCREASE IN PERSONAL SAFETY, KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HOW TO IDENTIFY POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS, AND AWARENESS OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES.COUNSELING CLIENTS/SERVICES: IN 2021, RACC'S COUNSELING TEAM PROVIDED 3,738 HOURS OF THERAPEUTIC SERVICES TO 785 CLIENTS AT THE AGENCY'S PROGRAM CENTER AND OUTREACH SITES (E.G., THREE RIVERS CRISIS CENTER). OF THOSE SERVED, 763 ENGAGED IN INDIVIDUAL THERAPY AND 22 IN GROUP THERAPY. COUNSELORS UTILIZED VARIOUS FORMS OF EVIDENCE-BASED THERAPIES TO HELP ADULT VICTIMS PROCESS THE SHORT- AND LONG-TERM IMPACTS OF ABUSE. THESE INCLUDED COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY, PERSON-CENTERED THERAPY, EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING (EMDR), AND LGBTQ+ AFFIRMATIVE THERAPY. THE EVIDENCE-BASED THERAPIES UTILIZED WITH YOUTH VICTIMS INCLUDED PLAY THERAPY, TRAUMA-FOCUSED COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (TF-CBT), AND STRUCTURED PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR ADOLESCENTS RESPONDING TO CHRONIC STRESS (SPARCS). COUNSELING CLIENTS REPORTED AN INCREASE IN UNDERSTANDING THE DYNAMICS OF ABUSE, UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF ABUSE ON THEIR LIFE, AND HAVING THE SKILLS AND ABILITY TO IDENTIFY, TOLERATE, AND EXPRESS A RANGE OF FEELINGS.PREVENTION EDUCATION: IN 2021, RACC'S PREVENTION EDUCATION TEAM PROVIDED EDUCATION AND TRAINING TO STUDENTS, PROFESSIONALS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGHOUT THE FARGO-WEST FARGO-MOORHEAD METROPOLITAN AREA. STAFF DELIVERED 800 PRESENTATIONS TO 14,035 ADULTS AND CHILDREN. AMONG THEM, 653 (81.6%) WERE PROVIDED TO 12,161 STUDENTS AT 45 K-12 SCHOOLS. TOPICS INCLUDED RED FLAG GREEN FLAG, I WISH THE HITTING WOULD STOP, BULLYING, AND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS.DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTERVENTION: IN 2021, RACC'S NOVIOLENCE TEAM PROVIDED EDUCATION AND SKILL-BUILDING FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE USED VIOLENCE IN THEIR RELATIONSHIPS. AMEND IS A 26-WEEK SERIES FOR MEN THAT USE VIOLENCE TO CONTROL THEIR PARTNER. EVOLVE IS A 16-WEEK SERIES FOR WOMEN THAT USE REACTIVE VIOLENCE. BOTH USE EVIDENCE-BASED CURRICULA. IN 2021, 21 NEW PARTICIPANTS JOINED THE AMEND GROUP AND 20 JOINED THE EVOLVE GROUP. IN TOTAL, 32 PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED PROGRAMMING (19 MEN, 13 WOMEN).COORDINATED COMMUNITY RESPONSE (CCR): RACC IS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN ADVANCING ITS MISSION BY REMAINING ACTIVE IN A VARIETY OF COMMITTEES AND NETWORKS THAT COORDINATE VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION EFFORTS. STAFF PARTICIPATED IN AND/OR FACILITATED CCR GROUPS INCLUDING THE CASS COUNTY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TASK FORCE, RED RIVER SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE TEAM (SART), ELDER ABUSE FORENSIC NETWORK, AND CHILD ABDUCTION RESPONSE TEAM (CART).